The 2026 NFL Draft is less than one month away and with that, the LA Chargers are starting to meet with various draft prospects. Los Angeles' first batch of visits was a mixed bag, but the latest batch of visits may be more revealing about the team's draft strategy.
Missouri edge rusher Zion Young, Florida defensive lineman Caleb Banks, and Texas A&M guard Chase Bisontis are all scheduled to visit with the Chargers in the coming days. There are various reasons why the chargers may be meeting with each particular prospect, but there is one common thread.
Each prospect is projected to go in the early second round or late first round. While not impossible, the Chargers picking any of these prospects at No. 22 might be a tad bit of a reach. Perhaps the Chargers are scouting out the batch of prospects that will be available later in the first round for a particular reason.
Chargers host trio of prospects who are all in trade-down territory
Again, it wouldn't be unforeseen if the Chargers selected any of these players with the No. 22 pick, but they all fall in that later first-round wave. Caleb Banks had the most hype around him but also has real injury concerns about his feet, which hurts his stock and likely sends him to the end of the first round.
That's undoubtedly the reason for the meeting in the first place. The Chargers likely want to get intel on Banks' feet and whether or not it's a long-term concern. But even if it isn't, the Chargers may consider him as a later first-round prospect, not someone to take with pick No. 22.
Bisontis ranks No. 48 on Pro Football Focus' big board while Young ranks No. 40. Media big boards are by no means the law, but they are usually reflective of where a player is. Neither Bisontis or Young seems to be a likely candidate for the No. 22 pick.
If there was ever a year for the Chargers to trade down, it's this year. Los Angeles only has five picks total in the 2026 NFL Draft and doesn't have a concrete prospect to consider with the No. 22 pick. The Bolts can land someone just as impactful a handful of picks later while also adding draft capital, as indicated by these visits.
Just because the Chargers met with someone does not mean they are going to draft them. In fact, the Bolts have drafted more prospects they didn't meet with than those they did meet under GM Joe Hortiz.
But these meetings at least give fans a bit of insight into what the Chargers' front office may be cooking up. And if there is one throughline with these specific meetings, it's that a trade down may actually be in the cards.